The Twelve-Year War
by nh1021
Summary: [AU] When did the war start? And do you know how it began? Depending on who you asked, you would receive a variety of answers. If you asked Kruger, Natsuki, the Duranian princess, she'd say it began the moment she had wondered into the forest; wondered into that dark, cold cave. -A [ ShizNat ] AU Story with Magical Elements-
1. Prologue

**The Twelve-Year War**

 **~ o ~**

 **Prologue**

When did the war start?

And do you know how it began?

Depending on who you asked, depending which one of the Five Kingdoms, you would receive a variety of answers.

Some would say the war began the moment the _Duranian_ King was attacked in the middle of the night and was abducted from his castle.

Others would say it began when the beautiful _Kiyohimean_ princess murdered her own parents, King and Queen Viola.

And there are some who'd say that the war had always been there, quietly brewing for hundreds and hundreds of years. That peace was nothing but a temporary illusion waiting to be unmasked.

But if you asked me, I'd say it began years before the first two _alleged_ events took place. I say it began the moment I had wondered into the forest; had wondered into that dark, cold cave.

When I was eight years old, I had wondered deep into the forest with my best friend, the _Kiyohimean_ princess. She was a year older than me, and our parents were good friends who visited one another frequently since our Kingdoms were close. So, naturally, she and I became good friends as well; the best of friends.

Ever since I can remember, my father always told me not to wonder too far away from the castle, always warned me not to go into the forest. Always ordered me to keep a good distance away from it.

And with good reason.

He would tell me scary stories, stories about people who walked in there, never to be found or seen again. That that was the reason he had built high walls around it, as a reminder to our people, as a precaution of the many dangers that lay beyond it.

That hot, summer day, as I played with the _Kiyohemian_ princess just outside the castle's walls; as I laughed and ran into the treacherous forest trying to get away from her, because she was the Huntress and I was her Prey, I had run too far, had run far beyond the castle limits, ignoring the reason the wall was there for to begin with. To keep people away, keep people safe.

Before we knew it, we were deep inside the woods surrounded by large trees, and had gotten lost. The wall, in a way our North Star, our guide back home, was nowhere in sight.

Everywhere we walked, everywhere we turned, the scenery was the same. It was as if the forest was magical, enchanted, perhaps even cursed. Or maybe something was hiding inside of it, creating this illusion, creating this winding road to protect itself, to keep others from finding it.

" _Oi_ , look... a cave"

To cover ourselves from the coldness and the heavy rain that had appeared out of nowhere, we took refuge in that mysterious cave. Everything had turned foggy anyway. We couldn't see far ahead, couldn't see where we were walking. There was no place to go.

"W-Where is Natsuki going? W-We should stay near the entrance"

She had suggested, shivering from the cold.

But I didn't listen to her and kept walking deeper into the cave.

I was a curious child, and the cave was new to my Emerald eyes. This cave was a brand-new world waiting to be discovered, to be explored. And I was feeling very adventurous already, was feeling very excited since I had never been that far from the castle's walls before.

"Don't tell me you're scared of the dark, Shizuru" I remember grinning at her when I said this, daring her to follow me.

But she wasn't afraid, not in the slightest. She was the bravest girl our age I knew.

I didn't need to say those words, didn't need to tease her about being scared, didn't need to dare her to follow. I knew she'd follow me anywhere. She was as curious as me, I knew she wasn't going to let me explore the cave alone.

At that age, time was a little fuzzy. It ran much differently than now that we're older. Time moved very slowly back then. Or at least that's how it felt like.

And that cave, it was a maze. A huge, long maze.

I don't remember correctly, but I think it was about five hours, maybe six hours in that we reached a dead end, that we found the heart of the cave.

And in the heart of the cave was where we found the most luminescent of Crystals, the brightest I'd ever seen.

At the time, it reminded me of the Crystals my father had described in his bedtime stories, had told me about before I went to sleep each night. Crystals so beautiful, so bright, and with immense amount of power. Crystals which gave immense amount of power, both physical and magical, to its beholders.

"It's beautiful, Natsuki"

She had whispered, and I had instantly agreed with her. It truly was mesmerizing.

And as our fingers reached out for it at the same time and had touched its icy, silvery surface, our eyes entranced by its beauty, by its brightness; its brightness that lit up the whole area, that's when our world went dark.

That's the moment.

I believe that's the moment the war began.

The moment our fingers had touched it, something strange happened. Something was released, something powerful. A signal, perhaps.

I remember hearing a loud, strong, deafening sound. I remember feeling as a gust of air pushed me backwards, and I remember falling hard on the wet, muddy ground, the same happening to Shizuru as well.

I remember her laying there next to me on the ground, faintly breathing, lying totally still.

I remember seeing her Ruby eyes looking into mine before she closed them. Remember seeing a softness, a tenderness there I had never noticed before,

"Natsuki..."

I remember her accented voice whispering my name,

" _Daijoubu?"_

remember her asking me if I was okay before we both lost consciousness.

And I remember dreaming.

I remember there was a lot of dreaming.

I couldn't tell when one dream ended and another one began.

I was in my room, laying on my bed, when I awoke two days later.

And when I had asked my father about it, about that cave, about the Crystal, about the noise and the light and the fog and the cold rain, he said that I had dreamt it, that it wasn't real. That he had found us in the forest unconscious, but that there was no cave, no fog, no rain, and most definitely no precious stone in sight.

Shizuru and I never spoke about that day, never got the chance to.

After that day, her parents visited my Kingdom less and less, and vice versa. So, we didn't see much of one another, didn't get to spend much time together, at least not until we were teens, when we'd sneak out in the middle of the night to see one another near the border.

As the months passed, we started to forget about what happened that day. More so since our parents had told us that it was all in our heads.

And we weren't sure why our parents had somewhat drifted apart after that. If it was because of what had happened that day, about us wondering outside the walls of the castle, or if there was something else going on that we weren't aware of.

It was much later, right before Shizuru's nineteenth birthday, that we figured out that our world, our lives, was much more complex and entwined than we had thought.

That's when our story begins, on the tenth year of the twelve-year war.

 **~ 0 ~**

* * *

 **Thanks for Reading!**

 **The _Prologue_ will be the only chapter in POV. Telling this story solely in POV will not be very insightful, so I will stay away from it.**

 **This is my first AU story, I've never written an Adventure story, so I'm a little nervous about it, LOL.**

 **And FYI, I will not be updating this weekly, will do so spontaneously. I'm supposed to be on a break :p**

 **As always, let me know what you guys think.**

 **Writing** " **For the love of ShizNat"**


	2. Chapter 1

**The Twelve-Year War**

 **~ o ~**

 **Chapter 1**

 **The Age of the Otome**

It was a quiet, sunny, and very dry Wednesday morning in the Kingdom of Duran.

They were in the arena, and King Natsu Kruger was sitting a good distance away from the vast, sandy, training area; keeping cool underneath the comfortable shade the large tent provided.

"Your morning tea, your excellency"

He didn't meet the maid's gaze as she carefully placed the iced tea on the side table. The only word he softly muttered after a few seconds of silence was " _Arigato_ ", which was his signal that he didn't need anything else, that it was okay for her to take her leave.

His light, blue eyes weren't on his daughter, but he could hear her very clearly while she sparred. He could hear every grunt, every gasp, every husky taunt that left her lips. He could hear every kick and every punch that she successfully evaded. Could hear every movement the eighteen-year old made.

His daughter, the _Duranian_ princess, proved to be both, very stubborn and very independent from early age. She had expressed an interest in weapons and Martial Arts since before she was a teen.

He thought that by the time she became a teenager, she would leave this obsession of hers behind and would focus on other things,

on harmless things,

on pretty things,

to put it bluntly, _girly_ things.

He noticed that most girls, most princesses at that age, at fifteen, fourteen, even as early as thirteen, already expressed an interest in princes, an interest in the opposite sex. An interest in dating, in dancing, in parties and gossip and Masquerade Balls. In expanding their wardrobes with beautiful jewels, shoes, and extravagant, flowy gowns.

But no.

No, no, no, no.

Much to his chagrin, his daughter expressed an interest, expressed much fascination and enthusiasm in the opposite.

He wasn't going to lie though; his daughter did like pretty dresses. They weren't as extravagant or as sparkly as the other princesses', but they sure were unique and very pretty.

He'd often see her going to town to buy new fabric so that the seamstress could make her a beautiful, form fitting dress with it. A beautiful dress of her style, of her liking, a dress that perfectly complemented her body. She always dressed her best, always dressed as a princess should, he had no complaints about that part of her.

So yes, Natsuki _Hime_ did like dresses, but she liked bows, arrows, punching bags and swords even more. Those were her prized possessions, her precious toys.

Ah, but that's not all. Unlike the other princesses her age, she also liked to get her hands dirty, liked to punch and fight, especially her older cousin, Takeda-kun.

His very existence as of late seemed to aggravate her somehow. They weren't getting along, not as well as they did when they were children, and he couldn't understand why. Whenever he asked his daughter about it, she wouldn't give him an explanation, wouldn't give him a straight answer. She'd just get angry and mutter something that was hard for him to decipher. She would blush, and then silently walk away.

He somewhat blamed this interest of hers, this rough side of hers on the fact that she didn't grow up with a mother, that she didn't grow up under a woman's influence and care.

And he also blamed himself for this, for Natsuki growing up without a mother. He blamed himself for the death of his Queen.

It was because of him, because of what Saeko had found out about him, that she had gone into that treacherous forest just days after Natsuki was born. It was because of him that Saeko had walked in there willingly, with the intention of not wanting to ever be found; knowing full well that whoever went in there never made it out.

Yes, Natsuki growing up without the love, warmth, and tender care of a mother was all his fault. He accepted that. He took full responsibility for that.

Underneath all that roughness, her interests aside, Natsuki _Hime_ was very beautiful, very polite, and very feminine. Yes, believe it or not, she really was. And she was a very timid and sweet, sweet girl.

Actually, no, let's scratch that last word.

Natsuki _Hime_ wasn't a _girl_ anymore, she was of marrying age now, she was a _young woman_ now.

Natsuki _Hime_ was a very sweet, young woman, a kindhearted young woman, but she had a very rebellious side, a side he could never tame no matter how hard he had tried while she was growing up.

And although he had told her many times that he didn't want her partaking in such aggressive activities because he didn't want her to get hurt, because it wasn't very ladylike, wasn't very _Hime_ like, she ignored him and did as she wished.

She always found a way to defy him.

Always.

She herself marched into town on her thirteenth birthday and had looked for an instructor in Martial Arts. She herself looked for someone who could teach her properly, teach her what the books she had been reading couldn't. She wanted to experience martial arts, not read about it. And she wanted someone, wanted a teacher who would challenge her, who wouldn't mind being rough with her. Someone who would put her royal title, her princess title aside.

Apparently, this was the only birthday present she wanted. No exchanges, no returns, no ifs, no buts. She never asked for anything else ever again after that.

"Your royal highness…" One of the older servants vowed as he neared him, never looking at him in the eyes as a sign of respect. "Princess Viola was spotted in town, she should be arriving the castle shortly"

Natsu looked up from the book he was reading, "Viola _Hime_ is in Duran?" his thick, blonde eyebrows arching up, somewhat surprised that the _Kiyohimean_ princess was visiting.

Natsuki hadn't mention anything about this visit. And he was sure that the neighboring princess would be busy with her birthday celebration that was approaching. If he remembered the date correctly, it was on December 19th, which was only two weeks away. This sudden visit was certainly a surprise.

"Very well, please accommodate her and her company for however long she wishes to stay. Make her feel at home, grant her every wish" The King softly commanded. And then, his sights fell on his very energetic daughter.

How the two princesses remained friends all these years despite their differences in interests was beyond his comprehension.

In his opinion, Shizuru _Hime_ was Natsuki's opposite in almost every way. And even at her young age, she carried herself with such elegance, with such grace. She had such an air of maturity, so much charisma and a hint of playfulness in her.

And Shizuru _Hime_ was quite an intellectual. She was quite knowledgeable in a variety of subjects for a soon to be nineteen-year old. The _Hime_ was a great conversation partner, a great entertainer. You could never find boredom with her, that word didn't exist when around her.

Yes, Shizuru _Hime_ was beautiful, enchanting, very alluring, extremely pleasing to the ears as well as the eyes. She was such a treat to be around. _'Just like her mother.'_

But then again, somehow, he knew that opposites did attract.

But that saying was usually used on people who were in a romantic relationship… did it apply to best friends as well?

With a sigh, he closed his book and placed it on the small, round, white table beside him. And as he gracefully crossed one leg over the other, his hand reaching for his cup of iced tea, he intently stared at his daughter, truly impressed by her quick movements.

It was unnatural, how fast she was moving. An ordinary human couldn't move that fast.

And this made him wonder. It made him wonder about what she had told him long ago.

It made him wonder…

 **Meanwhile…**

Meanwhile, a distance away, Natsuki quickly ran towards her next target. Her next target who was very heavily padded from head to toe in protective gear.

It was a miracle that Takeda-kun could still manage to move underneath all that padding. But in his defense, Natsuki _Hime_ scared the Jesus out of him when she wasn't wearing one of her princess gowns. She was fierce, that girl. And she didn't like him, they didn't get along and he couldn't figure out why.

Once Natsuki was close enough, he quickly swung his wooden sword at her.

The blunette wasn't armed, it was planned that way. It wasn't her swordsmanship that she was being tested on today; it was her agility, it was her quick thinking in battle.

"Ah!" And as Takeda swung his wooden sword at her,

WHOOSH!

She grinned, quickly skidding on the sandy floor, avoiding contact with the sword and going under his parted legs.

Once she was on the other side, once she was behind him, she quickly got on her feet and,

POW!

Kicked him on his side. She kicked him on his right rib before he could fully turn around, making him fall sideways on the ground.

"Ow! HEY! I felt that!"

And then she heard him angrily complaint,

"Good!" She shouted at him as her Emerald eyes settled on her next approaching target. It was that dirty blonde named Sergay. That guy that Mai _Hime_ always swooned about, always stared at with puppy eyes whenever she came to Duran.

He threw a few, quick punches at her once she was close enough.

Right, left, right, right, left.

He was fast. He was. But she was faster than him, much, much faster because of her years of training, and perhaps _a little more_ than the eye could see.

She effortlessly maneuvered through the swings. Effortlessly maneuvered through each one of his quick kicks. And in a swift movement, she twirled, quickly spun as she went down to the ground. Her fingers lightly kissing, lightly caressing the yellow sand underneath her as she spun, grabbing some of the sand as she did so.

BAM!

And then she kicked him hard on his padded ankle,

"OOF!"

Making him lose his balance and fall on his back on the ground.

"Three down, two to go" She didn't waste time and ran as fast as she could towards her next target. She had been training for an hour now and still hadn't worked up a good sweat yet, partly because of the extremely dry weather.

It was as if her sweat evaporated into thin air the moment it formed on her skin. That's how dry it was in Duran today.

Once she had enough speed, once she was close enough, she threw the sand on his face as a distraction and then leaped, "Ah!" she jumped high in the air, as high as she possibly could. She miraculously jumped over her target's head, avoiding the clumsy, incoming kick.

In her mind, if she was touched, it was game over for her, she'd lose.

It wasn't part of the test, it wasn't a rule, but it was _her rule_. Something she added to make things a little more interesting.

' _I can't believe I made that, that was really close'_ The moment her feet had touched the ground, she spun around and pushed him forward with both hands, hitting his broad back with unnecessary force.

She felt a strange, unfamiliar spark on her skin, _'Did I hit him too hard?'_ felt a strange, tingly sensation surrounding her palms, as if electricity was coursing through her body, running through her arms, and settling on her fists. It was unlike anything she'd ever felt before.

 _"Oi, gomen!"_ She playfully shouted at her fallen comrade as she ran towards the last, remaining target.

She felt so full of energy all of a sudden. She felt great. Really great, actually. She had a feeling she was going to break her personal record today.

"Huh?" But then, as she was running, Emerald eyes caught sight of the _Kiyohemian_ princess, caught sight of her Ruby eyed best friend.

"Shizuru's in Duran?" She was standing next to her father, talking to him, looking straight at her with that naughty smile of hers and giving her a quick wave. And Takeda-kun, that sly cousin of hers that she couldn't stand, he was now by Shizuru's side, chatting her up with those annoying lovey-dovey eyes of his. He was standing too close to the _Hime_. Too close for the blunette's liking. Does this guy not know the meaning of personal space?

"I'm going to kill him" And Natsuki slowed down, her speed faltering, her heart beating fast. She was losing her focus.

"Natsuki _Hime_ , CONCENTRATE!"

She heard her instructor shout at her from afar.

Then, her Emerald eyes went wide in shock when she faced ahead again,

"Eek!"

And instantly shrieked, unexpectedly finding herself right in front of her last target. She was too close and couldn't think straight.

POW!

Her last target's wooden sword hitting her hard on the head, her reflexes not quick enough to protect herself or move out of the way.

"Pretty~"

For a moment, she thought she could see colorful stars dancing around her cobalt mane.

And as her right hand went up to reach out for one of those lovely stars, before her body dizzily went backwards and hit the ground,

"Natsuki _Hime!"_

She heard her servants worriedly shouting her name, and then heard many hurried steps approaching her.

 **Same time…**

"Natsuki!" As this was going on inside the training area, King Kruger stood from his seat in an instant, concerned for his fallen daughter.

He was about to join the servants and rush to her aid, run towards her direction to see if she was okay,

"V-Viola _Hime_ , what's wrong?"

But he wasn't able to make it very far. He immediately stopped on his tracks and followed Takeda's worried voice, his worried voice that led him to the princess.

"Shizuru-san, are you alright?" The King cautiously asked, noticing that the _Kiyohimean_ princess's eyes were tightly shut. He also noticed that she was grimacing, grimacing as if she were hurt, as if she had felt Natsuki's impact herself.

And then, he watched as she suddenly grabbed the back of his chair, using one shaky hand to support herself, to support her weight, while the other went for her face to cover her rare, Ruby eyes.

"Viola _Hime_?" Takeda worriedly tried again, a hand now on her left shoulder, "Are you okay?"

" _H-Hai_ , I'm fine. It's just…" Shizuru shakily breathed out, "It's… It's nothing" feeling as her head spun by the sudden, stinging sensation she had just felt.

She had felt this inexplicable, abrupt pain before. But never this strong, never this long.

She breathed deeply a couple of times, her surroundings disappearing, Takeda's words fading in her ears.

And when she felt better a few seconds later, when she stood up straight and removed her hand from her face, "Natsuki?!" when she noticed that the blunette was lying on the ground, surrounded by her servants, she immediately ran towards her side to see if she was okay. Takeda-kun was following close behind.

' _Is it possible?'_ And the King's eyebrows furrowed in confusion, ' _Could it be?'_ frozen in place, slightly taken aback by what he had just seen. _'No, it couldn't be'_

He was now second guessing himself, wondering if what Natsuki had told him a long time ago was true. Wondering if her seeing a magical Crystal hadn't been a figment of her imagination, a figment of her overactive, childish mind.

 _'No, no, it can't be true. They were only children then, and all twelve magical Crystals were destroyed hundreds of years ago… They're only a myth now'_

But nothing could explain how the strange, dark, haunting aura that had surrounded the forest for centuries, suddenly vanished that day. Nothing could explain how he and his guards were able to walk in there, and then return unharmed with his unconscious daughter and her best friend.

Could it be that one of the magical Crystals was unaccounted for? That not all of them were destroyed?

He was going to have to ask Natsuki to search her memory, to explain in detail what had happened that day in the forest ten years ago.

If it was true, if she had really seen a magical Crystal, if she and Shizuru had really touched it, then his suspicions, what he had just witnessed, made a lot of sense.

It could only mean that a magical binding contract between the princesses was made back then. That by touching the Crystal, their lives were shared, their lives were linked; That they lived and breathed as one.

And it also explained Natsuki's inexplicable speed and strength when Shizuru was close by.

If memory served him right, the books said that the closer the beholders, the closer the wielders of the Crystal were to one another, the greater the power, and the greater the risk.

Being an _Otome_ , being a wielder of a magical Crystal, was both, a blessing and a curse.

If this was true, it could also mean that the recent rumors roaming around the Five Kingdoms might possibly be true as well. Rumors of a dark army silently forming in the East. A dark army that fed on the power of the Crystals. A dark army that probably awoke the moment the magical binding contract was made ten years ago.

If this was true, it wouldn't be long until the dark army found them.

And if a contract between the princesses was made back then, it could only mean that the Crystal was inside of them.

He really hoped that this wasn't true, because if so, the princesses' lives were in grave danger.

If this was true, the fate of the Five Kingdoms was in their hands.

If this was true, the age of the powerful virgin warriors, the age of the _Otome,_ had returned.

 **~ 0 ~**

* * *

 **Thanks for Reading!**

 **And thanks for the Reviews/Comments**

 **HookedonReading:** I'm a little nervous because I've never written a story with Magical/Adventure elements before, but I will try my best :) I hope I don't disappoint! You've probably never read my work before, and I don't have many stories to my name, but I'm more of a _Romance_ writer. You'll probably notice if you keep reading the story. And if you decide this story isn't for you, totally understand :)

 **Thunder1514:** Hiya back!

 **As always, let me know your thoughts.**

 **"For the love of ShizNat"**


	3. Chapter 2

**The Twelve-Year War**

 **~ o ~**

 **Chapter 2**

 **Overflow of Love**

Shizuru leisurely walked along Natsuki's long, thin, vanity. Her delicate fingers gently yet curiously touching the items the blunette had there.

She didn't pick up any of the items on the vanity, not one. Her fingertips just lightly touched their surface as she went along, hovering over some items a second longer than others.

The blunette had a large collection of elegant hairpins there, some which she herself had gifted her over the years; some of them dating back to when they were only children.

Shizuru had noticed back then that the _Duranian_ princess really loved wearing hairpins. There was not a day that went by and a pretty hairpin wasn't adorning her long, luscious, raven mane. She wore them all the time. So, Shizuru always made sure to give her a new one on special occasions to add to her collection, this action that made it the large collection that it was now.

The blunette also had a variety of fancy hand mirrors and hairbrushes there. Hairbrushes decorated with brilliant jewels. Beautiful hairbrushes of different shapes, colors, and sizes. The details on them, the designs, were unlike anything Shizuru had seen before. Each told a different story, it was completely mesmerizing.

It was fitting, the _Kiyohimean_ thought, for Natsuki's personal possessions to be covered with precious stones.

Duran was a beautiful kingdom, a prosperous kingdom, a _wealthy_ kingdom. And Duran was rich in the one thing that the other kingdoms had very little of. It was rich in jewels, in precious stones. In Rubies and Sapphires and Emeralds, it was abundant in Diamonds, Silver, and Gold.

Her kingdom, on the other hand, the Kingdom of Kiyohime, was wealthy in Earl's natural beauty, in natural resources. It was rich in agriculture, in fresh water and fertile land. The fruits and vegetables, the crops grown on her land, fed most of the large cities in the Five Kingdoms.

Agriculture was Kiyohime's stronghold, it was Kiyohimes's trade, and it was a good trade. But what Kiyohime was envied and well known for was its fabric.

They had the finest of fabrics. The most comfortable and with most beautiful patterns and designs. They had the softest of cottons, the softest linen and wool, the finest of silks and the largest variety of lace.

Food was a necessity, people needed it in order to survive, and it made their kingdom rich, it made for a stable, long-lasting trade. But their fabric was where they acquired most of their wealth.

All the rich families in the kingdoms wanted to be clothed in the best, finest materials; and Kiyohime had the best of the best in that trade. The wealthy families and businesses paid a good sum of gold for it. No other kingdom's fabric could compete with theirs. No other kingdom's fabric could compare.

"Am I being too rough, Natsuki _Hime_?"

Ruby eyes looked up upon hearing this. Looked up and went for the large, silver mirror in front of her.

"Does this hurt? I could be much, _much gentler_ if you wish"

Her eyes didn't settle on her own reflection, didn't settle on her own image. No. They settled on the scenery, settled on the activity going on behind her.

"Huh? Oh, _ie,_ it doesn't. Thank you, Airi-san"

She silently watched, now with folded arms, as one of Natsuki's attendants took care of her head injury. She silently watched their interaction. Watched the way that woman touched the blunette's face, saw how she moved with a certain _charm_ around her.

Shizuru couldn't help and raise a fine, inquisitive brow.

Was it her imagination, or was that attendant openly flirting with the _Duranian_ princess?

And Natsuki, did she not notice this?

Ruby eyes soundlessly watched as the others moved around the _Hime_ , watched as the room came alive around her. Watched as they opened the windows to let fresh air in. Watched as they searched the blunette's closet to find her something clean to change into, to prepare her for her bath.

Ruby eyes silently, discreetly scanned with a raised brow every single one of those girls. And she noticed something she had failed to do so before.

These girls, they were young girls.

Young and very, _very beautiful_ girls.

The moment Miss Maria, Natsuki's previous personal attendant and nanny retired a year ago, Natsuki seemed to always be surrounded by young, attractive women.

And it made Shizuru wonder,

Why was that?

Ruby eyes then noticed as another attendant came in with a small bucket of what she presumed to be warm water. It was a redhead this time.

She looked rather young, Shizuru noticed, younger than the rest of Natsuki's attendants, perhaps no more than fifteen years of age. And she had such an uninterested, bored expression on her face.

She wasn't supposed to be acting this way in front of her _Hime_ , it was very disrespectful, very impolite.

Where were this girl's manners?

' _Such an imprudent girl'_ Was Shizuru's thought.

She watched as the redhead walked around the large bed in the middle of the room to meet her princess.

Watched as she knelt in front of her on the bed, placing the bucket of water carelessly beside her on the floor.

Watched as she took the clean, white cloth that rested on her shoulder and dipped it in the warm water. And then, as that wet cloth went to the blunette's dirty cheek, the girl's other hand now on Natsuki's chin, keeping her face steady there.

And then, the other girl, the flirty one from before, she was now crawling on the large bed, settling herself behind Natsuki. She was very close behind her, too close for Shizuru's liking,

"May I, Natsuki _Hime_?"

And it looked like she was about to start massaging her _Hime's_ shoulders.

Shizuru pursed her lips, her ears ringing, completely deaf to Natsuki's husky voice. The blunette was now talking, but she wasn't hearing any of the words.

Was Natsuki really _blind_ to this woman's obvious advances?

And what kind of environment was this?

Whatever it was that was happening here, Shizuru didn't like it, not even a little bit.

"May the princess and I please have some privacy?" Shizuru finally spoke as she turned around, arms still crossed, her Ruby eyes now directly on the woman behind the _Hime_.

If looks could kill, that woman would've exhaled her last breath minutes ago.

Shizuru took a step forward, heading towards the bed to join her best friend.

And all the servants had instantly stopped what they were doing. All their eyes, except for a pair of lime colored ones, were now on the exotic, foreign princess. And then, moved to their Emerald eyed princess, wondering if it was okay for them to leave while in the middle of their duties.

The redhead, however, didn't even bother waiting, she just up and left the moment Shizuru had asked to be left alone.

 _'Imprudent and smart'_ Was Shizuru's thought.

Natsuki gently nodded, silently giving her approval. And when they didn't dare move, not an inch, "It's okay, I can manage from here on on my own" she huskily added, vocalized the words.

And within seconds, the vast, sunny bedroom was clear. It was just the blunette and Shizuru in the quiet room.

Natsuki let out a sigh, her hand removing the cloth with ice that was on her head and placed it next to her on the bed.

From the moment she regained consciousness, from the moment she had been brought to her quarters, she had been distracted, had been thinking of what had happened while she was training.

She still couldn't believe that she didn't see that coming, didn't see that blow. That she couldn't react nor think fast enough to avoid the swing of that wooden sword.

' _It's all that idiot's fault'_ She couldn't help and irritably think, a small pout now visible on her lips.

Hadn't that idiot of a cousin of hers been flirting with Shizuru, she would've remained focused. Just the thought of him being close to the brunette made her blood boil.

And Shizuru, what was she doing in Duran anyway? Seeing her standing there all of a sudden, her very unexpected visit, had also distracted her.

Once Shizuru had reached Natsuki by the bed, she wordlessly, gracefully went down on her knees; she knelt in front of her. One of her hands going for the blunette's knees, unfolding her legs from their comfortable cross they were in, then settling in between them.

This action, the sudden closeness, the touch, that made Natsuki's pout and thoughts disappear, only to be replaced with a faint blush and a nervous purse of lips.

" _E-Etto…"_ What was Shizuru doing?

And Shizuru, she continued to do what the redhead had started but didn't get to finish, continued to clean her dirty face and neck.

"You… You don't have to do this, Shizuru" Natsuki timidly let out, lightly swallowing. "I can do this myself" Her heart was racing against her chest by how close their faces were; by how intimate this position was.

When they were younger, this closeness didn't bother her, she thought nothing of it, it didn't distract her at all. But for a few years now, she felt very conscious around her. Conscious about every interaction, about every single touch. It made her nervous, very nervous, and yes, she knew why.

"I'm filthy from training, you'll only get dirt on your dress"

And Shizuru didn't reply, didn't utter a word. She didn't even trouble herself in correcting the mistake in the blunette's sentence, the mistake on that last word.

Today, she wasn't wearing a dress. Today, she was wearing the latest fashion, the latest trend from the North, from the Kingdom of Zipang. Today, she was wearing women's pants.

The _Kiyohimean_ princess disregarded the blunette's comment. She was about to start a conversation of her own as she touched her soft, heated face; as she somewhat roughly moved her head to the side and started to wipe it clean for her.

"I'm tender there, Shizuru…" Natsuki quickly muttered, wincing at the unexpected roughness. "Be gentle" she then added with a small pout.

" _Kannin na_ " And Shizuru apologized, but those honey-coated words didn't sound convincing at all. Not when she was giving her a very annoyed look.

Shizuru's thoughts were elsewhere right now. She hadn't meant to let her emotions show, hadn't meant to be so rough.

And Natsuki, it was now her turn to raise a curious, dark brow.

Was it her imagination, or was Shizuru upset?

But why?

She was about to ask this very question, but her best friend suddenly spoke,

"Your attendants" The brunette carefully began, not looking at Natsuki in the eye as the wet cloth touched her cheek; the light brown color disappearing from her skin with each stroke of the cloth, "They are becoming much younger as of late, I have noticed"

No, she wasn't going to comment on the beautiful part. That, she was going to keep to herself.

"And they seem to multiply in numbers with each visit… Is there a reason for this, Natsuki _Hime_?" There was a hint of attitude in the pronunciation of the last two words.

The last time she was in Duran, the last time she had seen Natsuki, was about four months ago, right around Natsuki's eighteenth birthday. And Natsuki only had four attendants then. _Four_. Which was still a lot in Shizuru's opinion.

Now, the princess had nine.

Nine!

How much help could the _Duranian_ _Hime_ need?

Nine attendants for one princess was unheard of!

But let's forget about the beautiful attendants for a moment and focus on why Shizuru's last visit was four months ago.

You see, Shizuru's father, King Viola, Hirohito, thought it was time to properly introduce his eldest daughter to the important houses in the various kingdoms. The houses their kingdom did vital trades with.

Shizuru _Hime_ was the future queen of Kiyohime, whether she married a _Kiyohimean_ of noble blood or a foreigner. The crown was hers, it would be her turn to reign next. She needed to learn how her kingdom operated, be aware of how the trades worked. And this was the perfect time for him to travel with the heiress and personally show her around, personally teach her what he knew; and advise her on how to be a great Queen to her people.

Being a great ruler, a great Queen, wasn't something he could teach her though, and he knew this. He knew that it was either in her to be great or not.

He knew, however, that a great ruler should be wise, should be kind, should be assertive, generous, and courageous. And Shizuru was all these things. Shizuru was all these things and a lot more. He knew that his daughter would be a great Queen to her people when he was gone. Of that, he was most certain.

So, the perfect time to travel with his eldest daughter was now. He was getting too old and frail for these kinds of long, exhausting trips. In a few more years, he wouldn't be able to handle them anymore, to travel long distances anymore.

While away, Shizuru did write to Natsuki, she wrote to her almost every day. And in those stacks of letters she'd courier to her every week, she'd tell her where she would be next and for how long so that Natsuki could reply if she wanted, which she certainly did. So, even when they were apart, they still communicated, they knew what and how the other was fairing.

Natsuki let out another irritated sigh, "It's my father. This is his attempt on getting me to communicate with others" she narrowed her Emerald eyes, now facing her best friend, "he says I need to be more social, to have more friends" and muttered, "I don't need anymore friends. Friends are overrated"

This was true. King Kruger wanted his daughter to be more social and spend more time out of her bedroom, out of these four walls.

The only time Natsuki was out was when she was training, or when she had company, which was mostly Mai _Hime_ from Zipang and Shizuru _Hime_ , or when she went out to town on personal errands. The rest of the time, she was either studying or reading in her bedroom or in the study.

The _Hime_ mostly kept to herself, so he thought that by surrounding her with girls her age, she might open up to them.

Talk to them.

Be friendly with them.

Do whatever it was that young girls her age did. This was his attempt to get her to come out of her quarters and expand her friendships.

But Natsuki wasn't taking the bait. And when he saw no change on her part, he added more attendants, thinking that at least one of them might be able to get through to her.

' _Ara~ that makes sense'_ Shizuru didn't question it further. She knew where the King was coming from, knowing how isolated Natsuki could be.

She was about to comment on the last part, about to tease her, but Natsuki spoke first,

"Why didn't you mention in your letters that you'd be stopping by? I could've met you by the northern border, Shizuru"

Shizuru quietly giggled, her foul mood rapidly disappearing, " _Fufu~_ isn't it obvious? I wanted to surprise Natsuki… Had I mentioned it in my letters then it wouldn't be a surprise, ne?" and added, "And I wanted to bring her the mementos I got for her" she placed the dirty cloth back in the bucket, and proceeded to grab Natsuki's unusually sweaty hands, about to start removing the training bandages that ran from her palm all the up to her elbows.

"Still, it would've been nice to know. I haven't seen you in so long" Was the husky murmur. And then, she lowered her gaze, for another blush adorned her features because of what she was about to say next. Because she was about to tell her what she wanted to write in every-single-one of her letters but never did,

"I really missed you, Shizuru" and softly added, "I'm glad you're back, that you're only half a day away from Duran"

Twelve hours. That's how long it approximately takes to get to the _Kiyohimean_ border from the _Duranian_ castle. But that was by using the safe, smooth, curvy, main road.

Natsuki could make it in half that time by using her shortcut. But that was a dangerous, bumpy, and very woody route. Carriages couldn't be used on that route.

When she used to sneak out of the castle to meet Shizuru at her family's vacation home, which was a little past the _Kiyohemian_ border, she used to ride her beautiful, black horse and cut through the forest. It was easy traveling that way by horse. And Takeda normally tagged along since they were in good terms then. They got along fine back then. It all changed when he started showing interest in the brunette though.

Gentle, Ruby eyes looked up to softly meet timid Emerald ones. She couldn't contain her smile, couldn't help the blush that had formed on either side of her rosy, full lips. But she tried to compress it, really tried to hide it.

It was nice, this feeling. It felt nice the way her heart was beating. It felt nice the way Natsuki had said those words. That she had missed her, that she wanted her close by. The way she had said them, the softness in her words, she felt that there was more to them, felt that there was more behind them.

"I missed Natsuki as well" Was the accented reply. And then, continued to remove the bandages from the girl's arms, the soft smile never leaving her features.

She didn't know what to make of this unspoken understanding there was between them. Didn't know what to make of this unspoken relationship, if she could even call it that.

She didn't know when it happened, when it began. Didn't know when she had started to look at her best friend in a different way, in a romantic way, and vice versa, for Natsuki also looked at her the same way. Natsuki's eyes had that same spark in them.

It was unspoken, for neither of them expressed with words how they felt for one another, never acknowledged, or said the words aloud. But even if the words weren't said, they were there all the time.

It was there in every touch, it was there in every lingering stare. It was there in the gestures, in the body language. It was there in the way they breathed when around one another, in the way each other's names left their lips. It was in the tremor of their hands when they walked side by side and they accidentally touched.

It was there all the time.

It was something that couldn't be turned off, worked around, or ignored.

It was strong.

It was beautiful.

It was very tender and pure.

It was love.

Somehow, at some point, they had fallen deeply in love.

When did this occur? Shizuru wasn't sure. She had known Natsuki most of her life. The blunette was her best friend, and she'd do and give anything for her.

Did it happen before they were teens, or after?

When exactly was it?

Was it when they were eleven years old, and she had seen that adorable blush of hers for the first time? That's when she'd started relentlessly teasing her, wanting to make that blush appear more and more. To see it more and more.

Or maybe when they were thirteen, and they had chastely kissed for a total of five seconds on the lips, wondering how it felt since they had yet to be kissed by a boy.

Or was it when they were fifteen, when they had started to sneak out of their Kingdoms. They'd sneak out to meet by the border late at night since their parents had stopped frequently visiting one another. They'd stay up all night, chatting, laughing, looking at the stars until the sun came up and they had to part.

She couldn't tell when or how this feeling began. And perhaps the when and the how wasn't important. What was important was, that, when she realized two years ago that she held these romantic feelings for her friend, she also realized that she wasn't alone. She also realized that the blunette felt the same as her. The way she acted around her, the way she looked at her, said it.

"You don't have to travel again, do you, Shizuru?" Natsuki asked, her hand now grabbing the cloth with ice and placing it on her head again.

Then, when she noticed that the bump had diminished, that she didn't feel the pain there anymore, _'That's strange, maybe I wasn't hit that hard after all'_ she removed it and carefully discarded it in the bucket of water, not needing it anymore. It was as if the injury had magically disappeared.

" _Ie_ , I'm done with the meets and greets, at least for a very long while" And once Shizuru was done folding the dirty bandages, she placed them inside the bucket of water.

She then stood, grabbing the bucket to place it on the nearby table, the one where the servants had placed her gifts; the ones she was going to give to Natsuki.

" _Etto_ , Shizuru?" And now that Emeralds were looking at Shizuru closely, now that the dizziness had subsided and she was one hundred percent alert, "What are you wearing?" There was a puzzled expression on her face as she stood to meet the brunette.

She noticed that Shizuru wasn't wearing the usual, beautiful dresses or kimonos that she normally wore. Shizuru was dressed in a red velvet, form fitting suit and high, black, leather boots. Like the type of outfit she wore when horseback riding. But the material seemed different, it was elegant and sturdy. And the designs on it, the designs on the jacket, were beautiful, stunning.

And the way her long, wavy, chestnut hair fell on the fabric, how the color contrasted against it, how it popped, it was nice.

The outfit was different, a little strange even, but it looked really beautiful on her. Natsuki thought Shizuru looked really sexy in it.

Shizuru turned around, a playful grin on her lips. "Does Natsuki like it?" and when Natsuki absentmindedly nodded, "It's the latest fashion in Zipang" and then, when she noticed that Natsuki was touching the fabric of the jacket, her eyes curious about it, she happily added, "I've brought a similar one for Natsuki as well, I can't wait to see how it looks on her" she patted on the item on the table that was wrapped in light brown, glossy paper, a yellow ribbon around it.

"I've also brought Natsuki something else, something I'd love for her to wear on the day of my celebration, if she doesn't mind" And as Shizuru said this, her hands grabbed the thinnest item on the large table.

"I had this made specially for her" She walked over to the bed, the blunette curiously following behind, and placed the gift there.

She took a seat on the bed and watched as Natsuki sat across from her.

"Shizuru, you shouldn't have" Natsuki felt a little overwhelmed. First with the surprise visit, and then all of this. All this attention, all these gifts. She could never get used to this, but it was always nice, Shizuru's attentiveness. It felt nice knowing that she was always in her thoughts, that she cared.

"May I?" The blunette voiced, asking for permission to open the present.

" _Hai, douzo"_ Was Shizuru's playful reply.

Natsuki went ahead and carefully untied the ribbon. And when the thick paper opened, revealing the contents, her Emerald eyes widened, mouth slightly agape.

"I can't accept this, Shizuru" And then, "A-Are you sure you want me to wear this? Am I even allowed?" It was a Kimono, and it was absolutely gorgeous.

Kimonos were Kiyohime's traditional clothing. Traditional clothing that was mainly worn by _Kiyohemian_ royalty these days.

Natsuki had never worn a kimono before, it wasn't a part of her heritage, wasn't a part of her custom. And she was not a _Kiyohimean_. She never thought she'd ever get to wear one, let alone one as beautiful and as elegant as this one.

"It would be an honor if you did" Was the soft, accented reply.

And Natsuki gratefully smiled, appreciating the gesture. Fingertips doing the same as Shizuru's in carefully touching the fine, soft fabric, " _Arigato_ , Shizuru. This is really lovely. I love the color and the pattern"

" _Fufu_ , I thought so" Shizuru answered, "This color always looks wonderful on you"

And as they were feeling the fabric, their fingers accidentally touched.

And Natsuki, she lightly swallowed. She felt warm all over, felt a blush making its way to her cheeks.

She didn't retract her hand though, and neither did Shizuru. Their fingers gently danced against the other's, slowly played against the other's, never entwining.

Emerald eyes then met her best friend's, taking notice of the faint blush on her cheeks, of the stillness surrounding them, of the comfortable silence.

"Your birthday present" Came the husky voice, her eyes lingering on the brunette's pink lips. She was lightly biting them, it was very distracting. "It should be in Kiyohime already… I hope you like it"

She had a Naginata made especially for her. She noticed that her family had a large collection of Naginatas, it was their weapon of choice, but she didn't think Shizuru had one of her own.

And as Emeralds intensely looked at those passionate, Ruby eyes, she felt it again, felt what she had felt while she was training. Felt that tingly sensation coursing through her body, like electricity flowing in her veins. Like electricity flowing through her arms and settling on her palms. It was very strange.

"And, um, there's something else I'd like to give you, but it's not ready yet. I have to write it down on papyrus"

"Write it down?" Kyoto-ben was whispered, the owner of the voice leaning a little closer, her eyes now looking at the blunette's lips.

It had been almost six years since she had felt Natsuki's lips on hers. They had been only kids then, and she wondered how they felt now, if they felt the same as back then.

" _Hai_ , it's… it's a poem, from that book of poems you gave me a long time ago. I thought it was lovely" Yes, it was lovely, and it resonated deeply within her.

It matched the feelings she held for the brunette perfectly, Natsuki thought. Matched her feelings perfectly like a glove.

"A poem?" Came the distracted reply.

"Hmm" And Natsuki softly hummed, leaning a little closer as well, "It's very short… You might remember it, it's called _Overflow of Love_ "

And upon hearing this, Ruby eyes raised to stare at Emeralds again. And her fingers, they momentarily stopped caressing the blunette's.

 _'Overflow of love?'_

Yes, she knew that poem, she knew it very well. She had read it so many times it was engraved in her memory, she could recite it by heart.

If this was Natsuki's way of vocalizing her feelings for her, of letting her know how she feels about her, then perhaps it was time to stop pretending there was nothing there, to stop dancing around her own feelings and just let go.

The brunette took a deep, shaky breath. And a moment later, she found her voice. Her fingers were once again free from their spell, they were freely moving against the _Hime's_ soft ones once more,

"Unable to perceive the shape of you, I find you all around me..." Kyoto-ben slowly whispered, slowly whispered every word, "Your presence fills my eyes with your love. It humbles my heart, for you are everywhere…" and repeated, "you are everywhere..."

Shizuru entwined their fingers together, Rubies on Emerald eyes the whole time. "Is that how it goes?" She softly asked.

And Natsuki timidly smiled, " _Hai"_ eyes slowly closing, leaning closer.

Closer,

Closer...

So close that the tip of their noses lightly touched.

But unfortunately, there was a knock on the door.

And both girls quickly stood from the bed, hearts racing, placing some distance between them. The sudden knock that had startled them.

"A-Ah. Yes!?" Was the quick, husky response.

"I'm sorry to intrude, Kruger _Hime_ , Viola _Hime_ " One of Shizuru's guards apologized as he opened the door. "The carriage is ready, Viola _Hime_ , we'll depart whenever you wish"

Shizuru gently smiled at the man, bright blush still in place, "I'll be there in a moment" and watched as he vowed and took his leave, closing the door behind him.

"Wait, you're leaving? You just got here, Shizuru" The blunette complained with furrowed brows.

" _Kannin na_ , but father wants me home by nightfall" The apology came with a frown. "I'd stay a little longer, but he doesn't want me on the road in the dark"

Yes, while in their travels, they heard some unsettling rumors about an army with dark, magical powers.

She didn't know if to believe the rumors or not. Dark magic didn't exist, not anymore. Dark magic died when the twelve magical Crystals were destroyed centuries ago.

"And besides, my company has been away from home for many months, they must be eager to return to their families... I must not keep them from those they love" She wished she could stay and talk about what just happened, about the meaning of it, whether they were courting or not, but she really needed to go.

"Okay..." And Natsuki bit her lower lip as she followed Shizuru out the door. She was feeling nervous, so, so nervous, "Shizuru" her blush intensifying when she grabbed the brunette's hand, when she entwined their fingers together, "Can we meet tomorrow night? The usual spot?"

And Shizuru couldn't help and brightly smile, because perhaps what just happened between them didn't need to be discussed. Perhaps it was as transparent as drinking water.

" _Hai_ , let's"

But little did they know...

 **~ 0 ~**

* * *

 **Thanks for Reading!**

 **And Thanks for the Reviews/ Comments**

 **I didn't want the chapter to end _dark_ since the title was actually nice LOL So stopped there.**

 **The goal of this chapter was to show what their friendship status was, and to what level they knew about their feelings. And also to show a little bit of where they come from and their background.**

 **And FYI, I don't know the title of the poem. I took it from the ending scene of the movie "The Shape of Water" I fell in love with it and wanted to use it :)**

 **See you guys on the next one!**

 **Let me know what you guys think.**

 **"For the love of ShizNat"**


	4. Chapter 3

**The Twelve-Year War**

 **~ o ~**

 **Chapter 3**

 **The Ice Silver Crystal**

 _Eleven Years Earlier..._

"Once upon a time, centuries and centuries ago, powerful, magical Crystals existed in our world" Natsu said to his seven-year-old daughter, covering her with a light sheet since it was unusually warm for a mid-autumn _Duranian_ night. "These magical Crystals gave immense amount of power to the warriors that wielded them. These-"

"What kind of power?" Natsuki excitedly interrupted as she raised to a sitting position on the bed, only to be gently pushed down by the shoulder again.

"Could the warriors fly?" Her hands went up in the air, expressing herself through movement, "Cut a mountain in half? Swim in a river of fire?" her Emerald eyes widened even more, "Become giants?" she whispered those last two words.

The King's eyebrows raised in amusement by his daughter's imagination, thinking that perhaps this sort of bedtime story wasn't the best choice for the _Hime_. It seemed like his daughter was far more energetic than before, more awake than before; she actually seemed interested and it didn't seem like she was planning on falling asleep anytime soon.

He usually read her one of the princesses illustrated books once she was tucked in. But tonight, she wanted to hear something different. So, he thought he'd introduce her to the Otomes, the powerful and very beautiful virgin, female warriors. There were so many tales about them it'd take a few lifetimes to tell them all.

"Hmm, perhaps they could..." The King answered with a soft smile, entertaining her ideas. "The tales say that they could jump so high in the air it seemed as if they could fly. That they were so strong that they could cut through rock with just one single punch. That they could move so fast it was as if they could disappear right in front of your eyes" His index finger playfully tapped her small, round nose, whispering, "And that deep inside them, there was powerful... _magic_ "

The little girl's Emerald eyes widened in excitement by that last word. It was one of her favorite words. "What kind of magic?" And she quickly sat up again, but only to be pushed down onto her fluffy pillow again.

"Very powerful magic, Natsuki" The King said. "So powerful it could burn Diamonds, the strongest material known to mankind, in just one second"

Natsuki smiled widely. "Wow... that's really, really, really, really, really powerful" Her kingdom dealt with Diamonds, so even at her early age she knew how long the beautiful, yet rough rock took to be cut.

And Natsu, he hummed in agreement. And then, continued with what he was going to say before Natsuki interrupted him with all the questions.

"These magical Crystals held so much power in them that one warrior alone could not wield it. The Crystal needed to be shared with a very special female, someone you had a very special connection with. It could be family, a friend, a lover... The deeper their connection, the closer they physically were to one another, the stronger the power"

"If I ever find a magical Crystal, I would share it with Shizuru" Natsuki happily chimed in, sitting up straight again, only to be pushed down on the bed yet again. "She's my best friend. She's my very special person"

And the _Duranian_ King smiled, for his daughter was such a sweet, sweet girl. "That's very generous and kind of you, Natsuki" He said, and then lightly chuckled, "Luckily for Shizuru _Hime_ , these Crystals do not exist anymore... I'm not so sure she would appreciate the gesture"

This made Natsuki adorably pout, more so because she didn't understand what he meant by those words.

"Where did the Crystals come from?" She then curiously asked.

"Ah, that, my dear princess, is the greatest mystery of all" His hands gently grabbed onto the corners of the yellow sheet and brought it up to his daughter's chest, covering her again.

"No one knows where they came from, they just magically appeared out of nowhere. But there are many theories" He continued, "Some say they fell out of the sky... and some say, that because of the nature of the bearers, that it was created from the purest of hearts" and when he noticed the puzzled expression on her little face, "A pure little heart like yours, _my lady_ " and then he tickled her waist, making her writhe and laugh, "Your heart will turn into a magical Crystal one day"

And once the tickling and giggling and laughing had subsided, "Stop being silly dad, hearts don't turn into Crystals. That's weird"

No, hearts didn't turn into Crystals.

But there was one thing the King knew for sure. The tales said that not just anyone could have the privilege to use them, that only pure hearts and pure hearts alone could wield the magical, precious stones.

"What happened to the Crystals?" Was the next question.

"You're full of questions today, aren't you, little one?" The King let out with arched brows, "Hmm, let me think..." he gently tapped on his chin, "The tales say that the warriors came together one day and decided to destroy them so that no one else could use them ever again" was the simple, yet not-so-simple answer.

"You see, once you are a beholder of a Crystal, it stays with you and your pair until one of you passes away" He added, "And when one of you pass way, both your bodies disappear into thin air, and the Crystal would mold into one again, so that the next pair could possess its power... The warriors, the Otomes, wanted to stop this cycle, and the Kingdoms agreed with them, after some time, of course" Yes, many disagreements broke out because of this decision, and then a terrible war followed. Not all the leaders agreed with losing this power they thought was a gift sent from the gods. "So, once the beholders passed, the Crystals were destroyed, one by one, until there was none"

Natsuki's eyebrows furrowed, "But why would they want to destroy it?"

"Because, my dearest _Hime_ , many sacrifices and risks came with bearing this power... being a beholder of a Crystal, being an Otome, was both, a blessing and a curse"

The puzzled expression on his daughter's face demanded details, not knowing the meaning of these words.

But the details where too gruesome for someone her age, someone so young, so instead...

"What have I always told you, Natsuki?" He softly asked, "Wherever there is good..."

"There is also bad" The child obediently answered.

"Good" He softly smiled at her. "Wherever there is a great hero..."

"There is also a great evil"

"Right" And added, "Wherever there is light..."

"There is also dark"

"Exactly" He leaned forward and kissed his daughter on the forehead, "When you're older, you'll understand these words" he said to her, "But enough of fairytales and myths for tonight, it's time for this curious princess to go to bed"

"But you haven't even started the story yet" The child complaint, small pout in place.

"I will tell you one of the many tales tomorrow night, I promise..." He lovingly smiled at her, "Now, off to bed, Natsuki" and he kissed his daughter and forehead once again.

 **Present Time**

"Nnn..." Natsuki slowly blinked, awakening from her peaceful slumber. She had been reading one of the books Shizuru had brought her as a gift and had dozed off about an hour ago without noticing.

"Of all the things to dream about..." She sleepily mumbled, a hand gently rubbing her eyes as she raised to a sitting position on the fluffy bed. By the softness of the light beaming through the large windows, she could tell it was a little past six, that the sun was about to set.

"Is it not dinner time yet?" She thought it was strange that no one had bothered to come get her.

Unless they had sent the readhead. She always took her time and never bothered waking her when she was asleep. _'She's a strange girl'_

In the morning, after she had said goodbye to Shizuru, after they had parted at the entrance of the castle, she went ahead and took a long, relaxing, and much needed bath. She didn't bother dressing right after, she had stayed in her silky robe after she had towel dried.

Why?

Because she wanted to try on the clothes the brunette had given her. She had brought her so many gifts from her travels that she didn't know where or how to begin.

She looked at the exotic hairpins first, admired their fine and delicate artisanship before putting them away.

She also tried on all the clothing, except for the beautiful kimono, the kimono would have to wait. It seemed very difficult to put together since there were a few different parts. So, she was going to ask Shizuru to help her with it on the day of her birthday since the _Kiyohemian Hime_ was the expert.

She thought that perhaps she would visit Shizuru early that week, stay in Kiyohime for a few days and leave a few days after her celebration. That way, they could spend some alone time together at her vacation home by the border and catch up.

She was hoping to talk to her when they met tomorrow night about this unspoken relationship of theirs.

Well, actually, scratch that.

As of today, it was no longer unspoken. As of today, their feelings were out in the open. And let's add to that, that they almost kissed! Had it not been for that knock on the door, she would've felt Shizuru's lips on hers.

 _'Curse that knock!'_ Natsuki thought.

She was hoping to talk to Shizuru, wanted to get a sense of what Shizuru wanted to do. If she wanted to keep things quiet for a little while so that they could have some privacy, or if it was okay to let their family and friends know. Whatever Shizuru decided to do was fine with her.

 _'I can't believe this is happening'_ She couldn't help and happily think as she fell back on the bed, a faint blush heating up her cheeks.

She couldn't wait for tomorrow to come. Couldn't wait to see Shizuru again. She had only seen her for a little while, less than an hour; and yes, she knew this because she had counted the minutes she was with her.

And now, she was happily counting down the hours until she could see her again. It was hard for her to keep her emotions at bay.

She wished she could've accompanied Shizuru to Kiyohime today, but she didn't like to show up at the _Kiyohemian_ castle unannounced.

She knew she was welcomed there anytime. She got along great with Shizuru's parents, she loved them, they were like a second family to her since she knew them since she was a little girl. She had spent so much time with them, so many summer and winter holidays in their castle. But since the _Kiyohemian_ King had just returned from a long and exhausting trip, plus all the arrangements that the Queen probably had to make for Shizuru's upcoming celebration, she thought it was best not to. It was a busy time and she didn't want to impose.

She was also a little nervous about what their reaction would be once they found out that she had feelings for their daughter. She wondered if they would be okay with this, if they would treat her differently because of it. But she knew them well, they were good, kindhearted people. She knew that if she told them she was serious about their daughter, that she would try her best to make her happy, that they would be okay with them courting, that they would have their blessing in this new relationship.

Now, her own father was a different story. She wasn't so sure how he would react anymore, if he'd be okay with her courting Shizuru. It seems like he knew something or suspected something about them, for he had been acting strange since Shizuru arrived this morning.

When she had regained consciousness in the arena, she noticed the strange look he was giving her and Shizuru, all the way up until she left the castle.

Why was he doing this? She wasn't sure, he'd never done that before.

And during lunch, she noticed that he seemed unusually quiet and pensive, as if something was bothering him. And he kept looking at her, was if he wanted to ask her something but couldn't form the questions, couldn't form the right words.

After she had finished eating lunch, as she excused herself to leave the table, feeling a little uneasy by the strange stares, he had asked her if they could talk after supper. He had asked her to meet him in his study.

He was acting strange, Natsuki thought, very strange. And she didn't know what to make of it. She didn't know if she wanted to meet with him at all. To have this talk.

"Alright" Natsuki slowly left the bed, sighing in defeat, "Let's get this over with" she noticed it was a little past six, so Shizuru had a few more hours left on her journey home, perhaps five more hours, depending on how many rest stops she took on her way there.

She left her bedroom and walked down the long, quiet, poorly lit hallway. It seemed like the servants hadn't lit the candles yet to illuminate the halls.

Then, when she reached the end, when she reached the brick wall, she took a left and went down the smooth, cemented stairs.

Her father's study was facing the rear of the castle, so all she could see outside the windows was large trees, green grass, and then the big wall, the big wall that lead to that once enchanted forest.

' _Was it ever enchanted at all?'_ She thought.

She stopped for a moment to contemplate the view. Her dream, the talks about the Crystals in her dream, brought up the memory of that day ten years ago. The day she and Shizuru had gone into the forest.

"I think all those bedtime stories my father told me must've made me hallucinate" She thought aloud. "Children have such imaginative minds"

And then, her Emerald eyes left their stare of the forest, and the blunette kept on walking the unusually dark halls.

But when she reached her father's study, she couldn't get close to the door. Two royal guards were standing there, guards she'd never seen before, and she knew them all, she was friendly with them all.

"Good evening, gentleman" One of the guards said to her, not letting her pass, blocking the way. "The King is preoccupied at the moment and asked not to be disturbed"

It seemed like this man wasn't from Duran, he didn't know who she was. He didn't know that she was the princess, the future heiress of Duran.

Natsuki thought it was probably because her hair was tied, and because of her current state of dress, because she was wearing the latest fashion from Zipang as Shizuru had said earlier today. This impostor of a guard probably thought she was a man. A _very feminine_ young man.

"Please return a little later"

And she slowly nodded, agreeing, discreetly eyeing them both from head to toe, noticing they were heavily armed. And then, she calmly, quietly took her leave.

She knew this castle inside out, there were other ways of getting into that study.

 _Secret_ passageways.

She was going to get into that study one way or the other. She was going to see her father one way or the other. No one could stop her. Of that, she was certain.

Once she had reached the end, once she was out of sight, _'What the hell is going on? Who were those guys?'_ She thought and quickly headed for the stairs, headed for the room below her father's study. She could get to him from there.

She quickly yet quietly moved one of the fancy looking couches to the side once in the room. And then, she got on her knees, hands feeling the edges of the wall behind the couch. She was feeling for something specific, searching for two small bumps.

Once she had found the bumps, she pushed them at the same time. And instantly, that part of the wall opened slightly, so, she had to push it the rest of the way.

She quickly crawled through it, crawled through the small square. And then, once at the other side, she closed it and quietly, cautiously walked up the secret stairs.

About a minute later, when she had reached her destination, she peaked through a small hole, looked around before she opened the secret door. She was making sure the coast was clear.

' _Dad!'_ And her eyes widened when she found her father. He was sitting not too far away, tied to a chair, and there was blood on his face. Someone had dared lay a hand on the King.

"Who has it?"

Natsuki then heard,

"Who is the bearer of the remaining Crystal?"

And Emerald eyes searched for the rough, manly voice. The voice that echoed, that didn't sound human at all.

"I don't know what you're talking about" The King weakly answered.

"Do not play coy with me, King Kruger"

The strange voice then said,

"I know the _Ice Silver Crystal_ is near… I can sense it. Someone in this castle is the bearer"

' _Ice Silver Crystal?'_ Natsuki thought with furrowed brows, her heart pounding, Emerald eyes still desperately searching for the owner of the voice.

' _Where are you? Why can't I see you?'_ She couldn't find him at all. And she couldn't go in there in the blind, it would be very unwise, she could get caught. Once she found him, once she knew where this person was standing, if he was armed, then she could try and make a move.

"I already told you, I don't know what you're talking about" King Kruger repeated, swallowing when the Dark Lord got nearer.

"I know you have a young daughter, we're searching for her now"

And the King swallowed yet again, but stood his ground. "I don't know anything about these Crystals that you're looking for. Please leave my Kingdom at once, take all the jewels and gold you desire. I wont persecute, please leave us be" He said firmly. "My daughter knows nothing about this. She's not who you're looking for... leave her out of this"

"My great, Dark Lord…"

Natsuki then heard.

She recognized the voice, it was the guard who had talked to her a little earlier. The one who had prevented her from coming into the study.

 _'I don't understand. Had I seen wrong?'_ But for some reason, he didn't look the same as before, his complexion seemed darker, his face had changed.

"The princess is nowhere to be found. She's not in the castle, and she hasn't been spotted in town"

Emerald eyes then went to her father. He seemed to physically relax when hearing this.

"I want that Crystal… I will not rest until it's in my possession"

The strange voice then calmly said.

"I have been living in the shadows for centuries, waiting for two pure hearts to find it. And I am patient, I can wait a little longer to be reunited with it"

 _'W-What... what is that?!'_ And then, Natsuki gasped when she saw it, when she saw _who_ or _what_ the voice belonged to.

She quickly covered her mouth and took an involuntary step backwards, frightened, her hand accidentally hitting one of the torches close by and making it fall on the ground. The sudden sound echoing in the silence.

 _'Is this sorcery?'_ She couldn't believe her Emerald eyes. It was surreal.

 _'Natsuki?'_ King Kruger heard the sound. It was very faint, but he had heard it. _'The passageway'_ He knew exactly where his daughter was and why she couldn't be found.

And everyone in the room heard the noise as well. All heads were turning around, looking up, going for the wall behind them.

"Please leave this Kingdom!" But Natsu quickly tried to cover the sound, to distract these intruders, "We don't know anything about these Crystals!" he shouted, all eyes on him once again.

All eyes except for the shadowed silhouette.

Did shadows have eyes?

And Natsuki, she slowly headed for the wall again, walked towards the hole. And when she peaked, her Emerald eyes fell on light blue ones. Light blue ones that were staring straight at her. Eyes that were telling her to run. Eyes that were pleading her to leave this place immediately. To not even think about going in that room.

"You've done well, King Kruger, keeping the bearers apart" The shadow spoke again.

"W-What... What do you mean?" And Natsu swallowed, eyes on the shadow again. Somewhat knowing what this man, this monster, this thing or whatever this was, meant by those words. For usually, the bearers of a Crystal never parted, they usually remained close by. They were most powerful, their abilities more noticeable when together, when they weren't apart.

But the King didn't know the Crystals still existed, or that his daughter had one of them in her possession, not until today. He couldn't take the credit for what this _thing_ was saying.

"You're coming with me" The man in the shadows said, "I will not waste time looking for her. You will be the bait that will draw her out"

And then, one of the guards, hit the King hard on his head with the back of his sword, making him lose consciousness.

' _No, dad...'_ And Natsuki, her hands, they trembled in anger, they turned into fists.

She thought that perhaps it was best to show herself, to surrender so that they could leave her father alone. It seemed like it is her who they wanted.

She was about to kneel, about to open the secret door and make her presence known.

She had no idea what was going on, what all this was, or what these people wanted with her. She didn't know if this was a nightmare, if she was still dreaming, or what. This scenario, whatever it was that was happening at the moment, these talks of magical Crystals, didn't seem real to her at all.

"Kiyohime"

The rough voice then said, and this made Natsuki halt in place. She didn't even blink, her heart pounding fast.

"The other bearer of the Crystal is in the _Kiyohimean_ castle"

And Natsuki swallowed. And her face, it had turned pale white, as if all the blood had been drained from her head.

"Perhaps it is time we pay a visit to the wonderful, prosperous Kingdom of Kiyohime… It's been centuries since I've been there"

And a few seconds later, in the blink of an eye, the shadow, the guards, and her father, were gone.

"No..." Natsuki whispered, wide eyed, for it was like a magic trick, they had disappeared right in front of her eyes. "Shizuru" They had vanished. They were gone.

 **~ 0 ~**

* * *

 **Thanks for Reading!**

 **And thanks so much for the Reviews/ PMs/ Comments!**

 **I am truly humbled with the positive reviews I'm getting on this story :) Thank You!**

 **I stopped there, because I have to think a little more how I want to handle what's coming next. I am finding myself in a delicate situation with Shizuru.**

 **Also, to the Guest Reviewer, I** **know Angst isn't included in the list of Genres. I normally add it once I'm at that point :)**

 **And no Shizuru in this chapter :( But we'll see her on the next one!**

 **Let me know what you guys think!**

 **"For the love of ShizNat"**


	5. Chapter 4

**The Twelve-Year War**

 **~ o ~**

 **Chapter 4**

 **Farewell, My Lovely**

Natsuki quickly made her way out of the empty study, abruptly pushing open the large, thick, wooden doors which minutes ago had two guards standing on the other side of it.

Her Emerald eyes had glanced over at the chair the King had been sitting on, Emerald eyes taking notice of the blood as she had hurried out of her hiding place. The King's blood that was smeared on said chair, drops of it decorating the floor. Her father's blood that made this moment, what she thought might've been an illusion, very real.

Her heart was pounding hard against her chest. And she felt lightheaded, so, so lightheaded. The ins and outs of her breathing were wild, and the shaking of her hands was out of her control. What was happening this instant was a little hard for her to grasp on, a little hard for her to believe.

But she believed it,

she did,

she had to.

Because the proof was there, back in the study. The proof was liquid, the proof was blood. _Her father's_ blood.

" _The other bearer of the Crystal is in the Kiyohimean castle"_

Was what the strange voice had said.

And these words, they couldn't stop resonating inside her head.

And her father disappearing, she couldn't get that vision out of her mind as well. It was dreamlike, it was magical, it was _surreal_.

' _I have to get to Shizuru, I have to warn the Violas'_ She thought as she quickly ran the unusually dark, empty, quiet halls.

Unusually dark for the servants had yet to light the candles to illuminate it. Unusually empty for she had yet to encounter a single, familiar soul since she had retired to her quarters early afternoon. Unusually quiet for she had yet to hear a sound, a sound besides her own.

All she could see, feel, and hear besides her own hurried steps, her own breathing and thoughts was silence…

Silence.

And this made her wonder,

Where was everyone?

Where were the royal and imperial guards?

Where were the servants?

Where had everyone gone?

Had they all disappeared as well?

Had that _thing_ taken them all?

It's as if the entire castle had been deserted in just a couple of hours. It was quiet, too quiet, there was no life present in any shape or form.

None besides her.

And this worried her, it really did. But something else worried her even more.

If what she had heard minutes ago in that room was right. If the magical Crystals really did exist, then, what had happened that day in the forest, what happened ten years ago, was true.

Was _real._

It hadn't been her imagination, it was real!

It could only mean that she really had seen a magical Crystal, really had seen one of the magical stones that her father had told her so many stories about while growing up. She had seen the _Ice Silver Crystal_ as the Shadow had said.

It was true.

It was real.

They hadn't all been destroyed.

And it was inside her, _she_ was the bearer. She was the one they were looking for.

The strange sensations she had been feeling as of late; the sudden surges of power, the tingly sensations, the energy she felt, it was all because of the magical Crystal.

It was.

It had to be.

And Shizuru, the _Kiyohimean_ princess, her lover and best friend, she had been there with her that day. She had seen it and had touched it as well.

That man in the shadows, he said he was going to Kiyohime, which could only mean that he was going for her.

For Shizuru.

He was going for her!

Because the Crystal was inside her as well. Because she was her counterpart, she was a bearer as well.

' _Shizuru is in trouble'_ She had to get to Kiyohime, had to get to Shizuru as soon as possible. There was no way she was going to let that _shadowy thing,_ that sorcerer, _necromancer_ of some sort, get its filthy hands on her. No way she was going to let that thing harm her.

No way.

Once Natsuki had exited the castle through one of the side entrances, she quickly headed for the stables, for her horse.

Her ears were ringing, deaf to the sounds all around her. Her Emerald eyes blind, unaware of the chaos behind her.

Once she had cut her way through the garden, once she had crossed the arena and had reached the stables, she quickly went for her black horse.

She cautiously opened the wooden door, "Shhhhhh, easy girl" and whispered to her, "it's okay… it's only me" soothingly touching her long neck to calm her, for the horse seemed agitated, perturbed. And when she looked around her, Emerald eyes noticed that all the animals in the stable were restless as well.

"Easy there…" Natsuki held onto the horse's saddle, and in a swift motion, she slightly jumped, mounting the beautiful horse.

"Yah!" And when she left the stables and rapidly headed for the hills, headed towards the forest that would lead her to Kiyohime, that's when she saw it.

"Oh no…" Came the slow, husky whisper. Her Emerald eyes wide in shock.

Her horse kept neighing, moving in place, going in circles, unable to stay still. Her horse that was sensing the danger all around them.

And her Emerald eyes, they never left the scenery as the horse kept moving around.

Her lips were tightly shut now, her hands holding on tightly to the leather reins.

The town square, the houses, the market, they were on fire!

Inside the castle's walls was dark, deserted. But the town, it was alive, alive with bright colors, it was alive with sound.

She couldn't see her people from this distance, she was too high, too far, but she could only imagine the panic they were in, could hear the faint, roaring, _beast-like_ sounds that were assaulting them.

Duran, her Kingdom, it was under attack.

By whom or what, she didn't know. But the sounds didn't seem human at all.

Her Emerald eyes then went for that once enchanted forest again.

And she swallowed, looked at it long and hard.

"Damn it!" And then cursed and gritted her teeth, feeling torn. Torn because her duty as the _Duranian_ princess was to her people, her duty was to her Kingdom, but her heart wanted to go after Shizuru.

"N-Natsuki!"

And then, she heard her name being shouted from a distance, heard her name being called.

And she frantically looked around, searched for the familiar voice.

"Natsuki!"

And then, the owner of the voice hurriedly came out of the rustling bushes, came to view. It was her cousin, her aunt's son, Takeda-kun.

"I-I'm so glad to see you, Natsuki. Thank goodness you're alright!" He approached her and fell on his knees, palms touching the green grass. He was totally out of breath.

It seemed like he was running away from something, but since his guard was down, he might've lost it a while back.

"Natsuki… the guards, the army, they're all gone! A-And the town-"

"I know" She quickly said as she dismounted her horse and headed his way, glad to see a familiar face, to see that he was okay.

"Where is uncle?" He then asked her, feeling her hand on his right shoulder, "Where's the King?" his hands now on his knees as he tried to compose his breathing.

"I-I don't know, Takeda. Someone…" Natsuki swallowed and stood straight, her hands turning to fists as her eyes settled on the town behind her again, " _Something_ " she corrected herself, "Something took him"

"W-What?" And Takeda looked at her in the eyes with furrowed eyebrows and mouth agape.

"Takeda, Shizuru's in trouble" She quickly let out, not wanting to waste any more time. She had finally made a decision, and the trek to Kiyohime was a long one. "What took my dad, it's going after her next"

"Viola _Hime_? Why?" And then, "Natsuki, what is going on?"

"I'll explain it to you later" She quickly headed for her horse again, "I need to go to Kiyohime, I need to warn the Violas"

"Natsuki, I don't think-"

"I need you to do me a favor" She interrupted him as she quickly mounted the horse again, "I need you to go into the castle and light the signal, sound the alarm, we need to warn the villages nearby. They need to know that their Kingdom is under attack, that it's not safe and they need to take precautions"

"But, Natsuki-"

"Takeda…" Emeralds eyes silently pleaded. She already felt awful for wanting to leave, she didn't need to hear it from him. But she knew there was nothing she could do, not without the army's help, without the guards, they had all disappeared somehow. And if the shadow, the Dark Lord as she heard his company call him, got a hold of Shizuru, things for everyone, for both Kingdoms and perhaps the others, would get much worse.

"Okay" Takeda nodded, now walking towards her. "Here, take this" He noticed that Natsuki was unarmed so he handed her his sword and knives. "Natsuki, be careful…" He warned her about the forest, "There's… there's something strange out there, something lurking out there" he had been running from something just a moment ago. He was scared.

And Natsuki nodded, "Once you're done, get out of here, meet me at the usual spot" she added, "We'll figure out what to do then" and when he nodded in understanding, "Be careful, Takeda… don't die" she told him, "Yah!" and then quickly took her leave, riding towards the forest.

\- o -

 **About Six Hours Later,**

 **The Kingdom of Kiyohime**

Shizuru soundlessly, pensively stared out the carriage window.

Ruby eyes weren't staring at anything specific, weren't paying attention to the scenery or her surroundings. Her poise was straight, and her facial expression, it was a serious one. She was completely lost in thought.

She was sitting in the back seat of her royal carriage; her handmaid, Arika-san, was sitting in front of her. They were nearing the _Kiyohimean_ castle's main entrance now, had already gone through the castle's tall, front gates.

At some point during the long journey, at some point after she had left the Kingdom of Duran, her joyful, talkative mood had turned the complete opposite, had turned sour.

She had a bad feeling, had a horrible ache in her chest. And no matter how much she rubbed that area, no matter how much she tried to soothe it, it didn't seem to get any better, didn't seem to dissipate.

She didn't understand why she was feeling this way so suddenly, for today was one of her happiest days.

Today, after four months of traveling the North, after meeting some of the most important houses in the Kingdom of Zipang, she had seen Natsuki again. Today, after two years of silence, they had spoken, although in poem form, their true feelings for one another. Today, she held her hand in the most intimate of ways, they had caressed one another in a way that only lovers did. And today, this very morning, they had almost, _almost_ kissed.

She had spent much of the ride adorably blushing, smiling, daydreaming… daydreaming of the midnight haired heiress. Thinking of Emerald eyes, of how precious she looked when she smiled, thinking of her lips. Feeling excited and restless for tomorrow night, for that's when she'd see her beloved again.

She just couldn't wait to fast forward, couldn't wait for this day to end.

Her enthusiasm had obscured, however, her smile had faltered for a moment, but just for a moment, when thinking of what the King, her own father, would think of this relationship. Not because he didn't approve of or liked Kruger, Natsuki, he did. He cared for her and thought she would make a good leader, a good partner, a good Queen. But because she knew that he would think this courtship ill-advised. Because they were both to be future Queens of their respective Kingdoms, and the other Kingdoms would see this as a power move on their part. Would see it as a way to expand their territories and gain power, and not for what it simply was, two childhood friends from neighboring kingdoms who had simply fallen in love.

In all honestly, she didn't care much for the throne, had no desire for it. Yes, it was her birthright to lead her Kingdom for she was the King's daughter, for she was the first born. But she would renounce her title, her name, and her blood if it became an obstacle, if she couldn't be with Natsuki. Her younger sister, Alyssa-chan, could take the throne. She would willingly give it up, give it up without a second thought, to be with the one she loved.

She didn't let this thought foul her mood for long though. She would cross that bridge when the time came, make those decisions when the time came. It was no use worrying about it now since they had just started courting.

And all in all, she knew that her father would be happy that she and Natsuki had fallen in love. She had no doubt about this. She knew that it was how the other kingdoms would perceive this that would worry him.

So yes, today should be a good day, a great day. A day that should be filled with laughter, dance and song, a day for rejoice.

But no.

At this moment, for unknown reasons, she was feeling the opposite, she could sense that something was wrong.

The carriage stopped moving, and Shizuru, she was still staring out the window. Her gaze was far, far away, and her lips formed a thin, straight line. Her left hand hung loosely over her abdomen, those delicate, long fingers of hers subconsciously playing with the side of her jacket, while the other rested lightly over her beating heart.

One of the young guards quickly opened the carriage door. He held out his hand to the young handmaid, helping her out of the carriage. And then, he lowly vowed, waiting for the heiress to acknowledge his presence, to make a move.

When a few seconds passed and there was no movement from inside the carriage, no attempt from the future _Kiyohimean_ queen, he lifted his head to stare at her.

The young man swallowed, his cheeks wearing a light blush, for she was beautiful under the moonlight even when serious, even when lost in thought.

He was uncertain of what to do. He was a fairly new guard, had joined the company less than a year ago. And she was next in line for the throne, loved and considered a goddess by all _Kiyohemians._ Someone not to be touched or spoken to unless given permission, someone not to be stared at for too long.

He lightly swallowed again and lowered his gaze, and then, "A-Ahem" nervously cleared his throat before he said the next words, "Viola _Hime_ , we have arrived"

And Shizuru, upon hearing this, rapidly blinked a few times, coming back to the moment, back to her senses.

" _Ara?_ " Was the first word that escaped her perfect, rosy lips, surprised when she noticed that they were in front of the castle, that the guard was right and they had already arrived home. "Indeed, we have…" And she made her way out of the carriage, " _Ookini_ " smiling at the timid guard and accepting the helping hand on her way out.

When she glanced over at the other carriages behind her and noticed that her company was retrieving her belongings, "Please leave that for tomorrow" she softly commanded, "it is rather late, you may retire for the night" and when they vowed in acknowledgement, she slowly made her way inside the castle, her handmaid by her side.

The moment she had stepped inside the castle's brick walls, she relieved the young brunette from her duties, telling her that she could handle herself for the night. It was already very late, almost one a.m., and it had been a very long and exhausting trip.

" _Your birthday present, it should be in Kiyohime already… I hope you like it"_

A smirk adorned Shizuru's features, suddenly remembering Natsuki's words.

' _Ara~'_ And she eagerly ran the dark, empty rooms and halls, _'Natsuki's gift!'_ quickly made her way up the stairs to her quarters, knowing that's where the present would be. She had always made it clear to the staff, that, whatever packages arrived from Duran, sent by the _Duranian_ princess, should be taken to her quarters immediately, unless it was something perishable or alive.

Had Shizuru stopped for a moment and looked at her surroundings, she would've immediately noticed something was amiss. For normally, there'd be someone, or several someones, waiting by the entrance to greet her. Normally, there'd be at least one royal guard keeping watch in each hall. Normally, there'd be two guards near the stairs that led to the bedrooms, standing watch over the quarters area. And normally, there'd be a guard standing watch by the large windows.

But not tonight.

Tonight, there were no guards.

None.

The first thing Shizuru did when she reached her bedroom was look around the spacious room. She didn't need to search long for the present, for it was waiting for her right on her bed. It was very noticeable, easy to spot, more so since her linens were a light, pastel color.

 _'A Naginata?'_

The brunette made her way to the bed. And once she had reached it, she sat down at the edge of it, picking up the Naginata that was there.

' _This is absolutely gorgeous…'_ Ruby eyes taking notice of the fine craftmanship, of the details, of the shiny, deadly, fine blade, _'And it is feathery light'_ it didn't feel as heavy as the ones her family owned, it felt almost weightless in her hands.

Ruby eyes went ahead and admired the long handle, her fingertips lightly touching the long, crimson colored shaft. Fingers carefully touching the lines of the drawings there, the unique designs.

And then, when delicate fingers reached the end, she noticed her name was engraved there. The characters, Viola, Shizuru were there, and below it, were the insignias of both Kingdoms, the _purple hydra_ of Kiyohime facing the _silver wolf_ of Duran.

' _Ara?'_ Shizuru then noticed the note on the bed. And she gently picked it up, opened it, and silently read it; all the while admiring the fine handwriting that belonged to the midnight haired heiress,

" _I did a little research, and found out that the Naginata is one of the most traditional and oldest weapons in Kiyohime. Learning the ways of this weapon requires patience, respect, etiquette, self-confidence, and self-control. It teaches and educates perfect control and balanced movements of the body. In many ways, this art, this weapon, is a representation of how you carry yourself and who you are. Someday, I hope to learn how to use this blade as gracefully and effectively as you"_

Ruby eyes then went to the line below it,

" _I hope you like it, I had it made specially for you"_

And then the next line,

" _Have a joyous nineteenth birthday, Shizuru"_

And finally,

" _Sending you all my love, Natsuki"_

Shizuru warmly smiled. Her Ruby eyes were back on the Naginata while her hand held the note lightly against her chest.

"Pardon the interruption, your royal highness..."

Until a voice spoke.

And that voice belonged to a guard, a guard that was standing at her door, who didn't even bother to knock.

Shizuru looked up, a little curious, finding his greeting, his manners, and accent rather off. For no one in Kiyohime ever addressed her that way, and this guard's accent was not _Kiyohimean_ at all.

"The King and Queen request your presence in their quarters" The guard calmly said.

And Shizuru, she didn't find this request strange, for her parents usually waited for her to be home before retiring for the night.

" _Hai_ , I'll be there in a moment" Was the accented reply, Ruby eyes back on the elegant weapon resting on her lap.

"I'm afraid they cannot wait, your royal highness…" Were his next words.

And a second later, Shizuru let out a small sigh, "Alright" she slowly stood, leaving the letter behind but keeping the Naginata in hand. She wanted to show her parents the gift the blunette had given her. Her mother, being a Master in the ways of Naginatajutsu, being _her teacher_ , would appreciate the details on the beautiful weapon.

She leisurely walked out of her bedroom and silently strolled the long, dark hallway that would lead her to her parent's bedroom.

Just before she knocked, before she opened the thick, wooden doors, she looked over her left shoulder. She was going to ask the guard where he was originally from, not having come across his accent before.

And once she looked behind her, she couldn't help and raise a fine brow. He was no longer there, it's as if he had vanished, she was completely alone.

' _Strange'_ Was the thought, she could've sworn he was behind her just a second ago.

Shizuru went ahead and opened the door when she heard no response from the other side. And when she stepped inside, she was suddenly hit with a gust of air.

Instinctively, she raised her right hand, eyebrows furrowing, hand shielding her face and closing her eyes. The strong air that made the doors behind her immediately shut, producing a loud, echoing thud.

' _What was that?'_ And when she opened her eyes again, when she lowered her hand, she stood there and took in her surroundings. Took in the darkness, the eerie silence.

"Mother… father?" Both hands now holding on tightly to the crimson shaft as she took a wary step forward.

Something didn't seem right.

Didn't feel right.

And then, when eyes had adjusted to the dark, when she looked to her left, towards the moonlight, she let out a gasp, her eyes wide.

"Mother, father?!" And quickly ran towards their side. The King and Queen that lay unresponsive near the terrace, lay unresponsive on the carpeted floor, surrounded by a pool of darkness, a pool of blood.

Shizuru quickly let go of the blade and fell on her knees in between them. Her hands and knees now colorful, wet, tainted with the red liquid. "M-Mother…" a bloody hand touching her mother's face, "father" a bloody hand touching her father's chest.

She lowered her head, rested her right ear on her father's bloodied chest. Searching, listening… listening for a heartbeat, a sign of life, but found none.

" _I-Ie…"_ Her eyes now blurry, glistening with unshed tears. _"Ie"_ Her lips quivering, quivering in both, confusion and fear. " _D-Doushite?_ " Who could've done this? Who could want to cause this much harm?

Her parents were good people.

Kind people.

Loving people.

They were a fair King and Queen to their Kingdom.

Then, why?

And as her trembling hands touched both of her parents' faces, she couldn't hold her sobs, couldn't conceal her heartache.

Not too along ago, she had wished that she could fast-forward, fast-forward to tomorrow night. And now, all she wanted was to rewind, to go back.

After a very long moment of crying, a very long moment of tears, of confusion and whys,

"G-Give… give in peacefully to the starlight, a-and fear not for those you've left behind…" Came the accented, painful, shuddering whisper. The words every _Kiyohimean_ knew by heart. Words that they used for their dearly departed, for those who no longer walked among them.

"We shall miss you not, f-forget you not, lament you not, for today is only a temporary fare-… farewell and not a final goodbye…" She paused for a moment, found it hard to breathe, to swallow, and took another deep, trembling breath before continuing,

"Give in peacefully to the starlight, where thou shall find no suffering, where thou shall feel no pain, for its light is warmth and its warmth is love, and love is brightest in its embrace… G-Give… Give in peacefully to the starlight, and fear death not, for death is not the end, your journey in the starlight has just begun"

She slowly leaned downwards and placed a long kiss on each of their foreheads, trembling hands caressing their cold faces one more time. "W-We will meet again..." She let out in a whimper, in a sob. "We will meet again"

" _Kiyohimeans_ and their mindless rituals…"

A strange voice suddenly said,

And her back quickly straightened, her head raised, now staring at the wall far ahead, staring towards the direction where the voice came.

"After many centuries, I see not much in this Kingdom has changed"

The voice kept on,

And now, she could see what produced the voice.

Had he been there, lurking in the shadows, all along?

Had he been there watching her all along?

Her eyebrows furrowed by what she was seeing. Through her tears, through the fuzzy blobs, it was dark, it was man-like, it looked like a man's shadow.

But there was no body, no man.

"I wonder, do you really believe those words, Shizuru _Hime_?" And soon after, came the correction, "Ah, pardon the title, it is Shizuru _Joou_ now"

Ruby eyes were confused, her body paralyzed as the shadow approached her, as the shadow got nearer, thinking, _'Am I dreaming?'_ and then, her Ruby eyes widened, _'The dark army…'_ Remembering the rumors she had heard while in her travels. _'So it is true'_

"I will grant you your wish, you and your sister shall join your parent's journey in the starlight very soon" The strange voice said.

"Alyssa…" And Shizuru subconsciously whispered, let out. With everything that was happening she had forgotten about the nine-year old.

"But not yet" The shadow continued, "Unfortunately, I need your pair before I can relieve you from your pain…" And then, "Do you happen to know of her whereabouts?"

"M-My… my pair?" Shizuru was entranced by what she was looking at, unsure of the meaning of these words.

And after a moment of silence, "You don't know what you are, do you? You don't know what's inside of you?" there was a short pause, "Hmm… very interesting" soon after, shouting, "Guards!"

And like magic, six guards appeared right in front of her Ruby eyes. Two in front, two beside her, and two behind.

"Apprehend the _Kiyohemian_ Queen!"

 **~ 0 ~**

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 **Thanks for Reading!**

 **And Thanks for the Reviews/ PMs/ Comments**

 **I know, I'm awful for stopping there (so sorry!) but I'm way, waaay overdue on my personal posting deadline.** **I've been swamped with work and this is what I had ready to post.**

 **As always, let me know what you guys think!**

 **"For the love of ShizNat"**


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